Heated cover for slasher size box



Sept. 25, 1956 GRIFFIN HEATED COVER FOR SLASHER SIZE BOX 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March V16, 1954 IRA L. GRFFFIN,

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Spt. 25, 1956 GRIFFlN 2,763,912

HEATED COVER FOR SLASHER SIZE BOX Filed March 16, 1954 2 Sheet s-Sheet 2 IRA LGRn- Fm INVENTOR BY 5% #m/ ATTORNEYS HEATED COVER FOR SLASHER SiZE BOX Ira L. Griflin, Charlotte, N. C.

Application March 16, 1954, Serial No. 416,596

10 Claims. (Cl. 28--28) This invention relates generally to apparatus for applying starch and the like to textile yarns and more especially to an improved hood or cover for the size box of a slasher.

In my prior application Serial No. 247,342, filed September 19, 1951, for Closed Cover for Slasher Size Box and Method of Applying Size Solution, now Patent No. 2,698,983, there is disclosed a novel cover for the size box of a slasher for confining the heated vapors within the size box and substantially excluding outside air. This cover serves to prevent starch and the like from congealing on the rolls and associated parts of the size box and permits more accurate and even application of starch and the like and faster operation of the slasher and reduces the amount of waste. In said prior application various modifications of the cover are disclosed and it is the object of this invention to provide an improvement for a size box cover such as disclosed in said prior application where the wall of the cover adjacent the discharge opening as heated to prevent the heated vapors from the size box and freshly sized yarns from condensing thereon and forming droplets which would drip onto the freshly sized yarns after the yarns leave the final nip of the squeeze rolls in the sizing machine.

It is another object of this invention to provide a cover for a size box having ingress means and egress means and provided with a condensate receiving trough adjacent the egress means for collecting condensate formed on the inner surface of the cover and wherein a heating element is secured to the cover adjacent the edge of the egress opening for heating the trough and that portion of the cover adjacent the egress opening to cause evaporation of the condensate or moisture adjacent the egress opening and to prevent formation of droplets on the trough where they would drip onto the freshly sized yarns,

It is another object of this invention to provide a cover for size box of the type described wherein a heating element is secured to the cover for heating the same and means are provided for periodically actuating the heating element so as to keep the cover sufficiently hot to prevent formation of condensation at the egress opening, while controlling the temperature of the cover to prevent excessive heat.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which- Figure l is an isometric view of a cover for the size box of a slasher showing the same removed from the size box and with parts broken away and showing the wiring diagram schematically;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the heating element taken along the line 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged elevation of the heating element with parts broken away; 7

Figure 4 is a more or less schematic sectional view through the size box of a slasher showing the position of the improved heated cover thereon;

Figure 5 is an elevation looking at the egress end of a nited States Patent 0 cover for a size box showing a modified form of the invention associated therewith;

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional plan view taken along the line 6-6 in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line 77 in Figure 5.

Referring more specifically to the drawings the numeral 14) broadly designates a cover for the size box of a slasher. The cover 10 is generally of the type disclosed and claimed in my prior application Serial Number 247,342 of September 19, 1951, and the present invention is an improvement of said prior invention. The cover 10 is adapted to substantially enclose the open portion of the pan or tank of the size box of a slasher which pan or tank contains a supply of liquid starch or other size material which is applied to a plurality of yarns which are moved through the pan in sheet form in a manner well known in the art. In the present illustration, the size box is shown more or less schematically at 11 and includes a tank or pan 12 for the liquid size solution S which is maintained at a suitable temperature by means such as steam pipe or coil not shown.

Yarns Y in sheet form are fed into the pan 12 of the size box by means of a plurality of guide rolls 13, 14 and 15 and an immersion roll 16. The yarns pass beneath the immersion roll 16 and between a lower squeeze roll 17 and a dressing roll 18. The dressing roll 18 is more fully described and claimed in my copending application Serial Number 287,349, filed May 12, 1952. The yarns then extend over the lower squeeze roll 17 and between the lower squeeze roll 17 and an upper squeeze roll 20. The dressing roll 18 and the upper squeeze roll 20 are preferably covered with resilient material such as synthetic rubher or the like. The yarns Y then move from between the squeeze rolls 17 and 20 to suitable drying means not shown.

The cover 10 is provided to substantially confine the vapors of the heated size solution and to contain the temperature and moisture around the rolls 15, 16, 17, 18 and 20 to prevent congealing of the starch or size on said rolls and around the various journals thereof.

The cover 10 may be of any suitable construction so as to substantially confine the vapors of the size box and as shown is hinged to a frame member 21 of the size box by a pair of spring hinges 22 and 23, which are of conventional construction and are so constructed and hinged as to cause the cover it to remain in open position when manually raised. These hinges 22 and 23 are secured to the frame member 21 and are secured to projecting arms 25 and 26 at each end of the cover 10.

The cover 10 may be formed of any suitable material such as sheet metal and the rear edge of the same is cut away as at 30 to provide an ingress opening between the upper edge of the pan 12 and the lower edge of the cut away portion 30 through which the yarns Y may pass as they are moved into the size box. A drain trough 31 is preferably formed adjacent the upper edge of the ingress opening 30.

The cover 10 preferably slopes upwardly and forwardly and is spaced above the upper squeeze roll 2! and then curves downwardly and forwardly and is provided with an opening 32 at the front end thereof which provides an egress opening between the upper edge of the pan 12 and the front edge of the cover for outward movement of the sized yarns Y. If desired the openings 30 and 32 may be in the form of slots or any other suitable openings in the cover it or between the cover 14 and the size box 12 so as to permit the ingress and egress of the yarns Y.

The upper edge of the egress opening 32 is also preferably provided with a drain trough 33. The troughs 31 and 33 are provided to catch any condensation which may form on the inner surface of the cover 10 and move or flow downwardly along the sloping interior walls thereof. The

troughs 31 and 35 are open or spaced from the end walls of the cover at at least one of their ends to permit any moisture forming or fiowing thereinto to be discharged back into or outside the pan 12 at the ends thereof without dropping onto the yarns Y.

The cover and dressing roll 18 are described and claimed in one or both of my said copending patent applications and it is with a cover of the type described that the present invention is adapted to be associated. It has been found in actual practice that while a cover such as the cover 10 serves adequately to confine the vapors and moisture within the size box and to prevent congealing of starch with the resultant benefits as more fully set forth in my said prior applications, frequently moisture will condense on the lower surfaces of the troughs 31 and 33. Also if the troughs 31 and 33 are eliminated moisture condensing on the interior surface of the cover 10 will flow down the inner walls of the cover and drip at the ingress and egress openings.

Dripping at the ingress opening 30 is not too critical as size has not been applied to the yarns at this point, but it has been found that moisture condensing and dripping onto the yarns at the egress opening 32 forms wet spots on the freshly sized yarns which may not be thoroughly dried.

This is deleterious to the yarns and results in irregularities which cause trouble in subsequent processing and weaving operations. The condensate which forms around the lower edge of the trough 33 is the result of the warm moist air arising from the yarn sheet as it leaves the size box and in order to prevent dripping at this point it has been found desirable to heat the cover 10 to a sufficient degree to prevent the formation of condensate adjacent the egress opening 32.

To this end there is provided a suitable heating element which is shown in the form of an electric element 50 which may be of any suitable construction conventional or otherwise. The heating element 50 is illustrated as being of the electric type having a hairpinshaped coil 51 mounted within an elongated housing 52 and suitably insulated therefrom as at 53. The coil 51 is provided with terminals 54 and 55 within a terminal housing 56 and suitable wires 60 are connected to the terminals 54. The housing 52 may be secured to the cover 10 by any suitable means such as bolts 61.

The heating element 50 is preferably positioned adjacent the egress opening 32 so as to concentrate the heat at this point to prevent the formation of condensation adjacent the egress opening where such condensation might drip onto the yarns moving out of the size box.

It has been found most desirable to use intermittent heat or otherwise control the heat adjacent the egress opening 32 to prevent formation of condensate at this point and to utilize the trough 33 to catch and lead off condensate formed on the inner surface of the cover. The heating element is shown as being electrical such as that sold under the trademark Chromalox and manufactured by Edwin L. Wiegand Company of 7500 Thomas Boulevard, Pittsburgh 8, Pennsylvania, but it is to be understood that it may be of any other desired construction. If desired the heating element may comprise a steam coil or other type of heating element capable of providing intense dry heat and so arranged as to heat the egress edge of the cover to a sufiicient degree to prevent the formation of condensate thereon. The heating element St). is preferably secured to the outer surface of the cover 10 or it may be positioned within the trough 33 within the cover 1% or it may be secured to the inner surface of the cover 10.

in usage it has been found that it is not necessary to have the heating element energized all of the time and it is therefore desirable to connect the Wires 60 to a suitable plug or the like 65 so that the heating, element may be connected to a direct source of electrical energy, not shown, or may be connected to a timer indicated, schematically at 70, which is in turn connected to a source of electrical energy not shown. The timer may be of any suitable conventional or other type and is preferably a percentage timer wherein the setting indicates the length of time the circuit is made to the heating element. For example, if the percentage timer is set at 75 it will stay on 75 per cent of the time and if it is set at 50 the heating element would be on for 30 seconds and off for 30 seconds. The percentage timer may be adjusted for any desired situation so as to maintain the egress edge of the cover at a sufiiciently high temperature to prevent formation of condensation at such edge. For example, a perccntage timer such as manufactured by R. W. Cramer Company, Inc., of Box 8, Centerbrook, Connecticut, has been found highly satisfactory. Any suitable timer to intermittently make or break a circuit or to decrease the voltage may be used.

in lieu of the timer a manual rheostatic switch '75 may be connected in a circuit with the wires 60 as by means of the plug 65 and the manual switch in turn may be connected to a suitable source of electrical energy not shown. The manual switch 75 should be provided with a plurality of settings so that the heating element may be set at a relatively low voltage or a relatively high voltage or at a desired intermediate voltage to thus control the temperature of the cover 10. Any suitable multiheat snap switch, or the like, may be utilized for this purpose.

In Figure l the wires 60 are shown schematically as being connected to a plug 65 to permit the same to be connected directly to the source of electrical energy or to be connected alternatively to a timer 70 or a manual switch 75, which are in turn connected to a source of electrical energy. It should be understood, however, that in general practice upon the unit being installed the wires 60 may be connected directly to a source of electrical energy or to a timer or a manual switch and the plug 65 and the alternative arrangements are shown by way of illustration only.

Referring now to Figures 5, 6 and 7, there will be shown a modified form of the invention wherein like parts bear the same reference characters as in the first described form of the invention with prime notations added thereto.

In the modified form of the invention the cover 10' is provided with an egress opening 32 which is somewhat larger than the egress opening 32 in the first form of the invention. An elongated plate member is adjustably mounted on the foremost portion of the cover 10' by any suitable means such as brackets 101 and bolts 102, there being at least one bracket at each end of the plate 100. The bolts 102 penetrate adjacent portions of the cover 10'. The plate 100 serves to partially cover the egress opening 32' and the lower edge of the plate 100 serves to define the upper edge of the egress opening 32'.

It will be observed that the plate 100 can be adjusted by means of the brackets 101 and bolts 102 so as to vary the effective size of the egress opening 32' to permit a varied degree of angle for the travel of the sheet of yarns from the size box to the drying unit of the slasher. This plate 100 also serves as a suitable mounting plate for the heating element 50' which is illustrated as being identical to the electric heating element 50 but which may be of any desired construction to give intense dry heat.

It is preferred that the plate 100 be formed with a drain trough 105 on its lower edge which trough may be integral therewith or suitably secured thereto. The trough serves as the lower edge of the egress opening and serves to catch any accumulations of moisture or condensation flowing down the inside surface of the cover 10 and to conduct said moisture to the opposite end edges of the trough 105 where it is returned to the pan of the size box and will not drop on the sheet of yarns passing through the slasher.

This trough 105 at the egress side is very important because at any time that the cover is lifted to provide access or vision, the condensate on the inside of the cover would be caused to drain to the egress side of the cover and drip on the sheet of yarns leaving the squeeze roll nip. To avoid this condition the entire cover would have to be heated to a degree which would prevent formation of condensate at any point on the inside of the cover and this is generally undesirable and impractical.

The heating element 50' serves to heat the plate we and the trough 105 to prevent the formation of condensate on the lower surface of the trough 105 so that vapors from the freshly sized yarns passing from the size box will not condense on the trough and form into droplets and drip onto the sized yarns causing excessively wet spots as compared to other parts of the yarn sheet. The heating element 50 may be secured to the inner or outer surface of the plate 100 or positioned in the trough 105.

The provision of the adjustable plate 100 also serves to more or less confine the heat from the heating element 50' to the areas of the size box cover adjacent the egress opening. While it is permissible to heat the entire cover, in many instances it is preferable not to do so and it has been found that heating that portion of the cover adjacent the edge of the egress opening gives highly satisfactory results. If desired, suitable insulation could be placed between the plate 100 and the cover 10' but it has been found that by separating the plate 160 from the cover 10 most of the heat is confined to the plate 100 and any heat which is dissipated into and heats the body of the cover 10' is relatively insufficient and the cover 10 does not become as hot throughout its surface as does the plate 100 and the lower edge of the trough 105 where it is desired to concentrate the heat.

It is thus seen that I have provided an improvement for the size box of a slasher which comprises a cover for confining the heated vapors within said size box and means for heating the cover to prevent formation of condensate adjecent the egress edges thereof so as to prevent dripping of moisture onto the sized yarns as they leave the size box.

In the drawings and specification there have been set forth preferred embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a slasher size box having a pan adapted to contain heated size solution for treating yarns and a cover for said pan so constructed as to substantially confine the vapors from said size solution within said pan and to exclude outside air and said cover having ingress and egress openings for the passage of yarns through the size box, means for heating the cover adjacent the egress opening sufiiciently to prevent moisture from condensing on the upper edge of said egress opening and dripping onto the freshly sized yarns.

2. In combination with a slasher size box having a pan adapted to contain heated size solution for treating yarns and a cover for said pan so constructed as to substantially confine the vapors from said size solution within said pan and to exclude outside air, said cover having ingress and egress openings for the passage of yarns through the size box, a trough on the inner wall of said cover adjacent the upper edge of the egress opening and means for applying heat to the cover adjacent the egress opening to prevent moisture from condensing on the upper edge of the egress opening and on the lower surface of the trough and dripping onto the freshly sized yarns.

3. In combination with a slasher size box having a pan adapted to contain heated size solution for treating yarns and a cover for said pan so constructed as to substantially confine the vapors from said size solution withing said pan and to exclude outside air, said cover having ingress and egress openings for the passage of yarns through the size box, a trough on the inner wall of said cover adjacent the upper edge of the egress opening, an electric heating element mounted on the cover adjacent the egress opening for applying heat to the cover adjacent the egress opening to prevent moisture from condensing on the upper edge of the egress opening and on the lower surface of the trough and dripping onto the freshly sized yarns.

4. In combination with a slasher size box having a pan adapted to contain heated size solution for treating yarns and a cover for said pan so constructed as to substantially confine the vapors from said size solution within said pan and to exclude outside air and said cover having ingress and egress openings for the passage of yarns through the size box, an electric heating element mounted on said cover adjacent the egress opening for heating that portion of the cover suificiently to prevent moisture from condensing thereon and dripping onto the freshly sized yarns and means for causing intermittent energization of said heating element.

5. In combination with a slasher size box having a pan adapted to contain heated size solution for treating yarns and a cover for said pan so constructed as to substantially confine the vapors from said size solution within said pan and to exclude outside air and said cover having ingress and egress openings for the passage of yarns through the size box, an electric heating element mounted on said cover adjacent the egress opening for heating that portion of the cover sufficiently to prevent moisture from condensing thereon and dripping onto the freshly sized yarns and means for regulating the intensity of the heat from said heating element.

6. In a size box having squeeze rolls and a pan adapted to contain heated size solution through which a sheet of yarns is passed, a cover having its lower edges disposed closely adjacent the upper edges of said tank for limiting circulation of air through the tank and confining the heated vapors, said cover having ingress and egress openings, a drain trough on the interior of the cover adjacent the upper edge of the egress opening and a heating element mounted on said cover and so positioned as to heat the drain trough and that portion of the cover adjacent the egress opening, means for actuating the heating element whereby the drain trough and that portion of the cover adjacent the egress edge are heated sufiiciently to prevent moisture from condensing thereon and dropping onto the yarns after they leave the final nip of the squeeze rolls in the size box.

7. In a size box for applying heated size solution to a sheet of yarns and having squeeze rolls and an open topped pan for containing size solution and a cover fitted onto the open top of said pan and having ingress and egress openings therein through which said sheet of yarns may pass as it is passed through the size solution in said pan, a drain trough on the interior of the cover adjacent the upper edge of the egress opening, a heater for said cover comprising an electric heating elei ent mounted on the cover, said heating element being so positioned as to heat the trough and the cover adjacent the egress opening, and means for energizing said heating element to prevent moisture from condensing at the egress opening and forming droplets and dripping onto the freshly sized yarns after they leave the final nip ol' the squeeze rolls.

8. In combination with a size box having a plurality of rolls and a pan adapted to contain heated size solution for treating yarns and a cover for said pan so constructed as to substantially confine the vapors from said size solution Within said pan and to exclude outside air and said cover having ingress and egress openings, a plate adjustably mounted on said cover and extending across the egress opening, said plate being adjustable to vary the size of the egress opening, a drain trough on the interior of said plate, a heating element mounted on said plate for heating the same and the drain trough to prevent moisture from condensing adjacent the egress opening and dripping onto the freshly sized yarns after they leave the final nip of the rolls in the size box.

9. An open-topped size box having a cover closing the open top and provided with ingress and egress openings through which a sheet of yarns may be passed through the size box, a plate adjustably mounted on said cover for varying the size of the egress opening, a drain trough positioned interiorly of the cover adjacent the upper edge of the egress opening and means for heating that portion of the cover, the plate and the trough adjacent the egress opening to prevent moisture from condensing thereon and dripping onto the freshly sized yarns.

10. A closed size box for a siasher having ingress and egress openings to permit the passage of sheets of yarn through the size box, an electric heating element mounted adjacent the egress opening for heating the upper edge of the egress opening sufficiently to prevent moisture from condensing thereon and dripping onto freshly sized yarns as they leave the size box and means for collecting condensation adjacent the upper edge of the egress opening to further prevent such dripping.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 179,768 Bustin July 11, 1876 345,002 Spalding July 6, 1886 1,920,870 Lancaster Aug. 1, 1933 2,216,006 Grier Sept. 24, 1940 2,238,511 Thaxter Apr. 15, 1941 2,239,424 Iler Apr. 22, 1941 2,400,315 Paasche May 14, 1946 2,464,119 Dawson Mar. 8, 1949 2,564,725 Rusca Aug. 21, 1951 

